Contents

History

The Great Horn was made from the horn of a wild-ox of Rhûn. Vorondil the Hunter, the father of Mardil, hunted the beasts in the far fields of the East, and the horn was tipped in silver. So, it passed down to every eldest son after Mardil.[2] From Denethor, it passed down to Boromir, who wore it with him on a baldrick.[3]

Boromir bore the horn with him when he went to Imladris, and held it on his lap during the Council of Elrond.[3] After he was chosen to be one of the Fellowship, he let the horn rang through Rivendell.[1] He would wind the horn twice more. In reply to the meager horns of the Orcs in Moria, the Great Horn bellowed like the shout of many throats under the cavernous roof. Though it repelled the attackers for a while, they returned after the last echo disappeared.[4]

The last time the horn was rang was shortly before its destruction. On the slopes of Amon Hen, near Parth Galen, Boromir created a sound so loud that it could be heard in Minas Tirith.[2] So was it said in legend: if blown anywhere within the bounds of ancient Gondor, its call would not pass unheeded.[5]

Sadly, the little help that could come - the rest of the Fellowship - could not make it in time. Though the Uruk-hai were at first dismayed and drew back, they returned more fierce than ever.[6]

On February 26, in the fight that cost Boromir's life, the horn was cloven in two. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas laid it in the elven boat that with Boromir and his weapons, and send it down the falls of Rauros.[7] The two parts of the horn fell out of the boat, and were found several days later. One was found in the reeds near the mouths of Entwash on February 28, the other further down the river on February 30.[8] They were brought to Denethor, who held them on his lap, anxiously waiting for news of his beloved son.[5] Those answers came, evnetually, when Gandalf brought Peregrin Took, witness to Boromir's last stand, before the Steward.[2]

Background

Appearance

The horn was made from the white oxen of Rhûn,[9] which was likened by Tolkien to an aurochs.[10] It was white itself, tipped with silver and inscribed with ancient characters.[5]

Name

Though generally referred to in fanfiction[11] and adaptations[12][13] as the Horn of Gondor, this name does not appear in published writing. It is generally referred to simply as "the horn of Boromir"[5][7] as he was its most notorious (and last) bearer. The only captilized name is "Great Horn", however.[14]

Inspiration

One of the many similarities between Roland, the paladin of Charlemagne, and Boromir is that both bore a white horn.[15] Like Roland in battle with the Saracens blew his horn to call for Charlemagne, Boromir called for Aragorn. In both cases, help came too late.[16]

Boromir blows the horn after he has been hit be many arrows. Boromir's signal has two tones, the second higher than the first (it's the same sound heard by other horns, Rohirrim or Hobbits'). It survived the battle without being broken.[17]